GPA at target

There is a lot of talk about GPA on this forum, but I would like to hear some discussion on the role GPA plays in recruitment at target schools (think W/H/S).

I currently have a 3.65 going into recruiting next semester (my school has a policy against rounding GPA so I can't put 3.7 on my resume).

I would imagine that my GPA meets the cutoffs for interviews for all the BBs, but what about elite boutiques?

Some firms only take 15-20 interviews, is my GPA too low to even qualify for positions like these? What internships/jobs would my GPA prevent me from getting an interview for (if any).

I know that this isn't a black and white answer. There are a lot of variables, including networking and experience. However, I have been networking pretty hard and I would just like to see where I stand based on GPA alone.

 

Why are you assuming it's harder to get a job at the elite boutiques. They do have fewer open positions, but I think there's actually more competition in BB than the boutiques.

"Sincerity is an overrated virtue" - Milton Friedman
 
GorillaJuicehead:
Quaneaser:
Idk if this means much but like 250+ kids showed up for each Barclays, JPM, GS, etc. info session at my school and like only 30-40 showed up for Moelis.

If I had to whittle it down from 250 candidates, I'd love to have that list of 30-40 to see who is really serious about banking.

Well if you work at Moelis drop me a line :D

 
Best Response
thejoker:
Your GPA isn't fatal as long as you have decent work/leadership experience, though there are lots of 3.9+ science, engineering majors with solid work experience to compete with...

Comments like these make me laugh. Unless I just misunderstand the whole sector. First of all,I don't know many engineering students with a +3.9GPA at my school..

Around this time last year, I was in my 2nd year at McGill University, undergrad in Mechanical Engineering. I applied to a bunch of places using the McGill Career Service Planning Website and I was interviewed by Facilities Operations and Development for an Assistant Project Manager internship. By the way, I had a 2.98 GPA at the time... So I go to the interview, and they ask me behavioural questions that I answered both to the best of my limited knowledge of the business and with utmost honesty. A few days later, I learn that I didnt get the job. Bummer. A week later, I get a call from McGill, asking me if I could come in for another interview. Same job, different department (Utilities and Energy Management). For those who don't know, this university is huge. Around 200 buildings on 2 different campuses. Basically a little city on it's own inside Montreal. VERY many projects so there are about 20 project manages (not including the external project managers). I interview for this job, which was a joke basically, as they didn't really ask any tough questions..

Towards the end of my 15 week internship, the I was told by one of my bosses that they just wanted to talk to me and if I was cool they were going to hire me. He said that they took me over a guy with a 3.9 GPA because 1. I was smart and seemed like a good person to be around for 4 months, and because the first time I went in for an interview, I was flagged as being a promising candidate, so they already put in a good word for me and kept me in their files.

This all goes to show that GPA means NOTHING. It's all about how you conduct yourself during the interview, etc. And yes, i was nervous as fuck during the interview, happens to everyone, but you just have to keep it hidden :P

 
pitbul13:
thejoker:
Your GPA isn't fatal as long as you have decent work/leadership experience, though there are lots of 3.9+ science, engineering majors with solid work experience to compete with...

Comments like these make me laugh. Unless I just misunderstand the whole sector. First of all,I don't know many engineering students with a +3.9GPA at my school..

Around this time last year, I was in my 2nd year at McGill University, undergrad in Mechanical Engineering. I applied to a bunch of places using the McGill Career Service Planning Website and I was interviewed by Facilities Operations and Development for an Assistant Project Manager internship. By the way, I had a 2.98 GPA at the time... So I go to the interview, and they ask me behavioural questions that I answered both to the best of my limited knowledge of the business and with utmost honesty. A few days later, I learn that I didnt get the job. Bummer. A week later, I get a call from McGill, asking me if I could come in for another interview. Same job, different department (Utilities and Energy Management). For those who don't know, this university is huge. Around 200 buildings on 2 different campuses. Basically a little city on it's own inside Montreal. VERY many projects so there are about 20 project manages (not including the external project managers). I interview for this job, which was a joke basically, as they didn't really ask any tough questions..

Towards the end of my 15 week internship, the I was told by one of my bosses that they just wanted to talk to me and if I was cool they were going to hire me. He said that they took me over a guy with a 3.9 GPA because 1. I was smart and seemed like a good person to be around for 4 months, and because the first time I went in for an interview, I was flagged as being a promising candidate, so they already put in a good word for me and kept me in their files.

This all goes to show that GPA means NOTHING. It's all about how you conduct yourself during the interview, etc. And yes, i was nervous as fuck during the interview, happens to everyone, but you just have to keep it hidden :P

Dude, there's a reason why this site is called WALLSTREEToasis, don't go discussing engineering internships here. It's people like you that make McGill students look stupid. Btw, bring your 2.9 GPA to any bank and see how they use your resume as toilet paper.

 
pitbul13:
thejoker:
Your GPA isn't fatal as long as you have decent work/leadership experience, though there are lots of 3.9+ science, engineering majors with solid work experience to compete with...

Comments like these make me laugh. Unless I just misunderstand the whole sector. First of all,I don't know many engineering students with a +3.9GPA at my school..

Around this time last year, I was in my 2nd year at McGill University, undergrad in Mechanical Engineering. I applied to a bunch of places using the McGill Career Service Planning Website and I was interviewed by Facilities Operations and Development for an Assistant Project Manager internship. By the way, I had a 2.98 GPA at the time... So I go to the interview, and they ask me behavioural questions that I answered both to the best of my limited knowledge of the business and with utmost honesty. A few days later, I learn that I didnt get the job. Bummer. A week later, I get a call from McGill, asking me if I could come in for another interview. Same job, different department (Utilities and Energy Management). For those who don't know, this university is huge. Around 200 buildings on 2 different campuses. Basically a little city on it's own inside Montreal. VERY many projects so there are about 20 project manages (not including the external project managers). I interview for this job, which was a joke basically, as they didn't really ask any tough questions..

Towards the end of my 15 week internship, the I was told by one of my bosses that they just wanted to talk to me and if I was cool they were going to hire me. He said that they took me over a guy with a 3.9 GPA because 1. I was smart and seemed like a good person to be around for 4 months, and because the first time I went in for an interview, I was flagged as being a promising candidate, so they already put in a good word for me and kept me in their files.

This all goes to show that GPA means NOTHING. It's all about how you conduct yourself during the interview, etc. And yes, i was nervous as fuck during the interview, happens to everyone, but you just have to keep it hidden :P

You know why he chose you over the 3.9 McGill kid? Since the 3.9 McGill kid should have gotten an elite internship, and if the 3.9 guy was competing for an on-campus job then there were issues with him that are beyond the scope of this forum. They chose you since that guy was either mentally unstable, or if he wasn't then he wouldn't be happy with the internship. You rather have someone who has a better chance of appreciating their work than someone who is desperately taking the internship to meet requirements for the summer.

The masked avenger par sexellence
 

Ya I attend H/Y/P/W.

So pretty much everyone is saying that my GPA will keep me in the hunt but not help me.

OhYeah: I don't know if I am right in assuming that elite boutiques are harder, but it definitely seems that way. While I am sure more kids are gunning for BBs, BBs also interview literally over a hundred kids so I feel like it is easier to get an interview but harder to get an offer. Boutiques on the other hand interview less than 50 kids so it is harder to get an interview and relatively easier to get an offer. Getting interviews for boutiques seems like it is a crapshoot.

 

Boutiques aren't harder, they take less interview because they have less openings. They also get less aplicants for those positions as well. Seeing as this entire industry is one huge prestige orgy, there is a reason that there are more applicants at BB.

Also your acceptance to H/Y/P/W was more of a crapshoot then a interview in IB.

Follow the shit your fellow monkeys say @shitWSOsays Life is hard, it's even harder when you're stupid - John Wayne
 

GPA at a top school like HYPWS is fine, as long as you're not a psych or english major, and then it will be discounted less due to the relative easiness of those curriculums. If you're not getting iviews then network with alums of those schools or find alternatve channels, since you have a good GPA.

Heister: re-learn your grammar, it's 'fewer' not 'less'.

 

I would not worry about GPA. Same story as always, network, network, network. Whether you are at an ivy or a non-target...those who network get more interviews. More interviews = more opportunities to improve your interview skills = more offers

XX
 

Sometimes I shead a tear knowing that I didn't go to an IVY school. Then I remember that my life is awesome, I smile again. I think I am going to try and achive my goal of getting an IVY degree by getting my masters at HES.

Follow the shit your fellow monkeys say @shitWSOsays Life is hard, it's even harder when you're stupid - John Wayne
 

i think most of top employers have that '3.5 minimum GPA' mentality. As long as you attend a target school and have 3.5+ GPA, i think your GPA is 'good enough' category and rest of your shit matters after that point, such as work experience, interviewing skills, and your personality.

On the other hand, even if you go to top target, if you have like 3.0-3.3 gpa, you are most likely fucked for OCR. I know one guy from Harvard who graduated with 2.8 GPA in Econ. He was unemployed for one full year after graduation, and he now went back to school to get masters of accounting degree, hoping to become an auditor at Big4 accounting. It's kinda sad that this guy was one of the smartest and ambitious guys back in my high school, but I guess he really fucked things up at Harvard...

The fact that your college gpa can have that big of an impact on your career and life is somewhat intriguing and interesting to think about.

 

Because 3.5 might get you an interview, but a 3.7 makes it more likely. 3.5 at a target probably gets you some interviews, 3.7 gets you several.

 

You won't get an interview just for having a 3.5 GPA at a top target. You have to realize that top target schools have 500+ kids competing for the same positions, and these firms have multiple target schools to choose from.

GPA is an important factor. Still, it is only one of many factors. The kind of kids who go to top target schools are the kind of kids who won't sit back and be satisfied if they hit a 3.51 "cutoff", which is actually just an imaginary benchmark. GPA still may have an influence on decisions made post-interview, but it really is most important when determining who will receive interviews. In the interview they are able to test your actual knowledge and abilities and that carries much more weight.

 

If all you want is AN interview (1 financial institution) then sure 3.5 from a target will probably do the trick. However I'd say with just a 3.5 from a top target and nothing outstanding in your profile, the probability of getting front office interviews with ALL the BBs is quite low. With a higher GPA you are more likely to get a large number of high quality interviews, all else being equal. Perhaps in 2006 a 3.5 from a target meant you could get dozens of interviews, but I am not convinced this is still the case.

People are just working under the assumption that there's significant positive correlation between GPA and number of interviews for high quality positions, even for GPAs between 3.5 and 4.0. Probably not an unreasonable assumption if you ask me, especially these days.

 
  1. A 3.5 is necessary but not sufficient for an interview - most kids I know at my Ivy with interviews have at least 3.7+ with finance experience or 3.8+ without, notwithstanding a standout resume or speaking to an MD

  2. Once again, higher GPA = higher chance at interview. Just like you only NEED a 2100 to have a chance at harvard, having a higher SAT still helps you get in.

  3. GPA still matters after final rounds, not that much but if there are 2 similar candidates (and I've found most candidates at superdays pretty similar - well-spoken, good sense of humor, can articulate experiences well) GPA can be a tiebreaker

 

Because the idea that having 3.5 at a top school will get you an interview is absolutely false. The only people who could possibly believe this are those from outside top schools who don't have the faintest clue.

 

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